Did BCCI try to entice PCB over ICC revamp proposal with offer of series?

By Agencies |Posted 31-Jan-2014

PCB chief Zaka Ashraf has alleged that the BCCI offered to play Pakistan if they agreed on ICC's 'cricket control' proposal

Karachi: Reinstated Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohammad Zaka Ashraf has said that the Indian cricket board offered to play against Pakistan in a bilateral series at a neutral venue if PCB agreed to sign up to the ICC proposal by the Indian, Australian and the English cricket boards.

Appointed in October 2011 as the chairman and then temporarily suspended in May 2013, Ashraf has recently been reinstated as PCB head in time to face one of the biggest challenges to the future of cricket- the draft ICC position paper which threatens to undermine the stature of most cricket playing nations.

Misbah ul-Haq with PCB chief Zaka Ashraf. File Pic/AFP

According to www.PakPassion.net, Ashraf said that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) offered to play Pakistan in a bilateral series at a neutral venue, which he regarded as a positive gesture, although he admitted that BCCI was willing to do it under the condition that PCB agreed to give their support to the proposal.

Stating that the PCB needed an official confirmation on this proposal, Ashraf also said that PCB is entitled to some assurances from the BCCI as Pakistan had played two series against India during their stand-off.

Ashraf further said that there is no way they would fall into the lure of BCCI promises regarding a bilateral series unless they have it in writing from the BCCI this time, adding that he does not want to be in a position where the BCCI backtracked on their verbal agreement.

Ashraf also insisted that they would not agree to anything without a written agreement, a schedule and a full written plan regarding the bilateral series from the BCCI.